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Saturday, September 20th

Upstairs at 8:30 PM

Burning Blue
 
Burning Blue - Trailer
Burning Blue

(2013, 96 min)

Country: U.S.

Director: D.M.W. Greer

Studio: Lions Gate Films

Language: English

SYNOPSIS:

They have been trained to meet danger head-on, to execute vital strategic maneuvers while flying at breathtaking speeds. But after a series of fatal accidents, a close-knit squadron of male Navy pilots begins to splinter — and becomes the focus of a criminal investigation. As a government agent digs to uncover the cause of the accidents, two of the pilots engage in a secret, forbidden relationship. Their affair is exposed... and the squadron is engulfed by an incendiary scandal that will challenge each pilot’s notions of friendship, love, honor, and courage.


REVIEW:

Packed with homoeroticism, Burning Blue tells the story of a close knit group of Navy pilots who find themselves in some pretty hot water during the days of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

Within their small Navy squadron, pilots Dan (Trent Ford) and Will (Morgan Spector) are best buddies. When Will's deteriorating eyesight leads to a series of serious mishaps involving F-18 jets, Dan covers for him. Their tight bond is threatened, however, when hunky Matthew Blackwood (Rob Mayes) enters the scene.

Though they both identify as straight, Dan and Matt have a quick flirtation that soon turns into a cautious romance. One night on leave, Dan and Matt go drinking together and end up at a gay bar with two women. Good sports, they toss their shirts off and grind on the dance floor with the rest of the sweaty, scantly-clad men. When they end up back at their hotel room later with their dates, they seem far more interested in each other than they are in the girls.

After much apprehension, the two men give in to their intense longing and confess their feelings for one another. Their romance is cut short, however, when a government agent (Michael Sirow) arrives to determine what may be at the root of Will's recent accidents and discovers, through the grapevine, that the pilots may be engaging in some sordid homosexual behavior. Queue the ensuing witch-hunt!

Based on writer-director D.M.W. Greer's 1992 play of the same name, Burning Blue sports impressive production values for a low-budget stage-to-screen adaptation. The cast is also uniformly terrific - and very easy on the eyes. With longing, suggestive glances, Trent Ford and Rob Mayes create palpable sexual tension (which builds to an exciting release), while Morgan Spector conveys the right amount of jealously as the antagonistic best friend who feels left behind. William Lee Scott (familiar to gay movie fans from The Opposite of Sex) is also a stand-out, offering comedic relief as the sweet-natured prankster of the group.

Also worth noting, the original stage play was loosely based on D.M.W. Greer's own personal experiences in the Navy. The film reminds us of a time, not long ago, when homophobia ran rampant in our military and gay soldiers were forced to hide their identities - all while serving up a steamy, touching story about two star-crossed hunks in love.

-- Robert O'Neill, TLA Video (http://www.tlavideo.com)